The world is small
by sharny
Summary: The world is really small ... and Sly understand that when he meets a childhood friend again, who he never thought he would see again. Sorry, the summary sucks XD


**Disclaimer:** I don't own any Sly Cooper characters; they belong to Sucker Punch Productions/Sony/Sanzaru Games/etc

**Author Information:** To begin with I want to wish you all a Merry Christmas. Then I would just point out that I am not used to write in English because I usually write in Swedish ... but one of my friends has checked through it. I hope you like it and I'm so sorry if there are some grammatical errors or so.

Have a nice evening / night / morning / afternoon / whatever

…..

**The world is****small.****  
**  
I always have this scarf on me during Christmas day, ever since I was seven. I got it from stranger when I traveled to Paris for the last time with my parents. I remember that day like it was yesterday…

**PAST**

it was the coldest day in December and I remembered how much my parents froze. I held my teddy bear, but I was thinking barely the cold. It was the first time I'd celebrate Christmas with my parents in Paris, but I had no idea then that it would be my only one with them.

"Sly, it does not seem as if the train is coming in an hour. If you want, you can go and play, but stick around," smiled a middle-aged female raccoon. It was my mother - the best mother in the world. I always felt safe around her, with her warm smile and best of all; she made the best hot chocolate in the world. "Okay Mom," I smiled silly back and stood up with the bear in his hand. Only until the day I gave it away, I kept it always near me. "But sweetheart, you may well leave teddy here, so it does not get wet," suggested mom but I remember how I held it closer to me. I heard my father's familiar laugh. Many people said I looked like him ... much more than my mother. As a little kid, I always hope that!  
I want to be just like him - the best master thief.

"Honey, let him be. Let him be a child as long as he can. Don't force him to grow up when he's ready," replied my father and smiled a sly smile. Everyone knew that he would win this. My mother just laughed. Dad was always on my side no matter what I did, although it was stupid. He always said that it was through my mistakes and memories that I could really grow up and become the skilled thief, which I so much wanted. I started to walk a bit, but I still heard my parents talking to each other.

"I hope we will arrive before Christmas day ends. Sly have been talking about this day for ages. He really yearns to celebrate Christmas with us," smiled mother but sounded a little sad. I remember how sad I was when I heard her. I did not want to miss Christmas, not at any price. I was actually going but continued to remain to see what daddy said. He would never know that I managed to eavesdrop on him. I smiled my biggest grin when I thought about it.

"Honey, I promise that we will arrive. To you and everyone else who will listen, I will ensure that Sly Cooper gets a Christmas he will never forget," grinned dad and I knew then that he knew I was hiding nearby and listened. Um, Dad was always the cleverest no matter what he did.

I had felt so shocked but continued to walk. I do not know for how long I was walking before I finally noticed that I was all by myself... or it was at least what I thought. I heard a low sound - it sounded like someone was crying. Instead of going back to my parents like any other seven year old, I went in the direction the sound came from. We Coopers are not known to be cowards and not me either.

I remembered how I came closer and closer to the sound, and finally saw a street lamp and a bench. On the bench sat a little girl. She looked to be older than me, but with tears flowing down at her orange fur and arms close to her body, she looked very weak and brittle out. I remember when the thought she was the prettiest girl I've seen. If I were superstitious, I would certainly have thought she was a beautiful ghost. I remember how I looked a little closer at her and saw that she was a vixen, probably a few years older than me and dark blue curls. The color really suited her. She wore a red gown that really brightened up her orange fur in the winter darkness. I went up to her and smiled a friendly smile.

"Hi, I'm S-" I began, but was interrupted by her. I remember I got a little scared and angry look from her.  
"What do you want?" She asked, and looked away. Hmm, an irate little girl, right?  
"I heard someone crying and came here to see who it was. That's when I found you," I explained, and she just needed to see into my eyes to see the truth - they burned with honesty. I would never lie to a girl, although this girl was a real grouch.

"I didn't cry!" She growled. I remember how mad I was at her and regretted so deeply that I even thought that she was beautiful.

"Funny because I heard you," I replied the older girl.  
"Why are you not leaving me alone?" she asked, and looked away again. I sat quietly on the bench left without saying anything. I saw her angry face changed and the tears continued to flow. I remember I was scared to say anything and instead gently gave my teddy bear to her. She gratefully accepted it and pressed it against her body.

"T-thank you-u," she murmured, and I saw that she blush a little. I smiled gently friendly back and watched as her smile grew.

"Why are you still here? Most people usually leave me when I'm angry," she murmured, looking down at Teddy. I did not know how I would respond, but I could always try.  
"A real gentleman doesn't leave a lady alone in the dark," I murmured, and found myself sound like my father. "Although she is very angry," I smiled and heard her laugh. Her laughter felt so warm in the cold night. It surprised me that she was even the same person as the girl who screamed at me. I blushed at my own thought and heard her laughter became higher.

"Thanks," she smiled again, but continued "So ... uh ..." she began, but stopped.  
"Sly! My name is Sly," I grinned and held out his hand. She grabbed my hand and shook it as she murmured low  
"Carmel… Carmel Fox". Or I think it was Fox, but I did not want to be rude and ask again.

"So Sly, what are you doing out here so late at night?" Asked Carmel and if she was an adult, I thought she was a cop. She had that typical tone of voice that all police officers had when they questioned someone who they thought was guilty.

"I am in transit through France with my parents. We're going to Paris to celebrate Christmas" I smiled but continued "and you, mademoiselle?" I wondered, and it really belonged to the French dialect arrive. I usually avoid it when I spoke English.

She giggled and replied, "I just moved here with my parents from Spain, and before we lived North America."

Well, that explains her Spanish accent, but that she still spoke English so well.  
"That explains your funny accent," I answered and joked most, but I do not think Carmel perceived it.  
"What's so funny about it?" She asked and I could hear the anger had come back.

An angry little girl, right?

"Carmel, I joked," I sighed, but continued, "I think that is beautiful. A beautiful accent for a lovely girl," I smiled and noticed only afterwards what I said, but it was already too late. I was so afraid she would laugh at me or worse - get angry but nothing was heard. I felt how much redder I was.  
"Before you found me, told my parents that I would stick around and that the train would surely come soon. But I have never been in France become interested and started walking. I went for a while and then noticed that I did not know where I was" she explained, sounding a little sad. "And that's why you cried…" I murmured and forgot what happened the last time I said that she was crying. I looked carefully but then I saw her only nod quickly - the anger was not visible in her face or in her eyes.

"Take it easy, you will find them surely soon," I replied the girl, and to my surprise it sounded very confident. "How can you know that?" The question sounded like faint whisper. "They are your parents and they love you. They are sure looking for you right now," I began, but was shaking because of the cold. She looked carefully at me and then smiled.  
"Sly, you have no scarf? If you walk around like that, you will surely get sick soon," smiled Carmel, and sounded very adult. She took off the light blue scarf and put it around my neck instead. "I got it from my grandmother before we traveled from Spain," she explained, and I immediately felt how warm I was - but it was probably also because I blushed. "Carmel", we heard both a female voice shouting with a Spanish accent.

"Mamá," cried Carmel back. She looked at me and then the teddy bear.  
"Keep it; it is after all Christmas. Remember to have it near you when you get scared," I grinned and took off the scarf. "Keep it, after all it is Christmas," she grinned back before she ran off to two orange shapes that I now noticed was a man and a woman. It reminded me of my own parents perhaps wondering where I was. I went back with the scarf tightly wrapped around his neck.

"Mom, Dad" I cried when I saw them.  
"Sly, so good that you are here. Train just came," smiled mother but stared at me when she saw the scarf.  
"Sly, where is your teddy bear?", She asked.  
"A friend of mine got it. I got this for Christmas. She needed it more than I do," I smiled and looked at both of my parents.  
"So good that you gave it to her then," smiled my father, but there was something extra in his eyes - pride.

We all went on the train and even though I tried to be happy that we would arrive for Christmas, I could not. I really missed my teddy bear.

"Sly, because you were so good to give away something that you really liked, we want to give something to you. Close your eyes," replied mom and held her hands in front of my face. I felt something hard on my knee. Mom said when I could open my eyes and I looked down. It was my father too familiar rod that was in my lap. I did not even dare to touch it - almost like they were made of glass and the slightest touch would cause it to crack.

"Sly, it's yours, son. I and your mother have been talking and think that you deserve it. It has helped me for many years and now it's yours," smiled dad and I slowly lifted it up. Ever since that day I have always kept it close to me. But father was right about one thing: this was really a Christmas I would never forget. The only thing I am wondering right now is where the girl lived and what she was doing…

**PRESENT**

I returned to reality with a big smile on his face and continued move where I was going. To a certain angry yet beautiful inspector. I knew where she lived, I jumped from roof to roof, street lamp to street lamp. I landed on all that was possible, until I arrived at the apartment where I knew Inspector Carmelita Fox lived. I jumped up on the balcony, but the sound was way too loud ... the next second I saw her standing at the balcony door with her shock pistol in hand, ready to shoot me.

"COOPER" growled she but froze when she saw the scarf around my neck.

"Carm?" I asked, but I could not get her back to the reality.

"Cooper, where the hell did you get that scarf?" She asked, but I knew she was the anger inside. "You fucking thief. How can you just go and take something that is not even yours. I don't understand you! One minute to help me to the next second be the annoying felon you are! What are you even doing here?" Carmelita would surely go on if she did not see my smile grow.

"Are you done now?" I wondered, and saw her actually nod in response.

"Actually, Miss Fox, I got this for Christmas many years ago. I was moving to Paris with my parents when I met a girl at the train station. She gave me this" I smiled but continued "Why is it illegal for a master thief to get a legal Christmas present?" I wondered with a playful tone of voice. Carmelita's facial expression was at least serious, as usual. I heard her mumble something but I really do not know what. I leaned closer to her to hear better, but then she spoke higher.

"Sly, I'll be right back," she smiled before she walked into the apartment again. Did really Carmelita say my first name and smile? I stood still, because I was pretty sure it was not for an extra gun that went in for. A few minutes later she came back, but it was something that she was in. A teddy bear? Could it really be my old?

"Do you recognize this?" Asked Carm and watched me. I just nodded gently, unable to do anything else. "I got it when I moved to Paris by a stranger. Sly, you're the stranger, right?" Continued Carmelita and her smile grew. I nodded back in response. Next thing Carmelita did really surprise me. She quickly pulled me to her and murmured low in my ear. "I never thought I'd see you again. Thanks for the best Christmas ever and that you kept my gift," she whispered before pressed our lips in a sweet kiss.

What can I say?

The world is really small ...


End file.
